Shuttle check for floating binders



May 7, 1946. E. A. SANTON SHUTTLE CHECK FOR FLOATING- BINDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0% h l b a l QM EMAZJ Filed Aug. 8, 1945 May 7, 1946. E. A. SANTON SHUTTLE CHECK FOR FLOATING BINDERS Filed Aug. 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 7, 1946 UNITED STATE 2,399,762 SHUTTLE CHECK FOR FLOATING BINDERS Elliot A. Santon, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 8, 1945, Serial No. 609,565

14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shuttle checks for looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide an improved friction strap check for a binder of the floatin type as shown for instance in my prior Patent No. 2,390,963 issued December 11, 1945.

The usual form of shuttle check ordinarily exerts approximately as much resistance to movement of the shuttle out of the box as it does to movement of the shuttle into the box, with the result that the picking mechanism is placed under considerably more strain than is necessary to propel the shuttle. It is an important object of the present invention to provide a shuttle check which resists outward movement of the binder by means of a friction strap or the like when the shuttle is boxed.

In certain prior patents issued to me there is shown a form of shuttle binder the outer end of which floats and is movable laterally with respect to the shuttle box. It is another object of my present invention to provide a binder of this type with a friction surface to engage a friction unit mounted on the lay in such manner as to resist movement of the outer end of the binder by the shuttle.

It is still another object of my present invention to relate the friction surface on the binder and the friction unit in such a manner that the strap forming part of the unit will have a travel along the friction surface a distance approximating double the lateral displacement of the binder by the shuttle. This result is accomplished by having the strap secured to the lay and trained around the aforesaid friction surface on the binder and then connected to a spring which is also attached to the lay. By this relationship the friction surface on the binder acts somewhat in the nature of a movable pulley and causes the free end of the strap to move farther than the binder moves. I

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a shuttle box with my improved shuttle check applied thereto and in normal checking position corresponding to absence of the shuttle from the shuttle box,

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the shuttle in the shuttle box and the binder moved to its extreme forward position,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, the lay end III has a shuttle box B thereon provided with a box plate ll forming the box floor. A rear vertical wall l2 forms the back of the shuttle box while the front of the latter is formed by a floating shuttle binder 13. As shown in Fi 3 a protector finger l5 extends upwardly from a protector rod l6 and engages the inner or left end I! of the binder l3. The protector finger operates in the usual manner and exerts a rearward force on the binder end I! tending to move the latter toward the wall l2 and in position to be engaged by the shuttle as the latter enters the shuttle box. A guide 18 is secured to the lay and receives the reduced binder end I! for the purpose of limiting its forward movement.

The binder comprises a front steel strip 20 to which is secured a block of wood 2| held in position on the strip 20 by screws 22. A shuttle engaging friction member 23 made for instance of leather has its left end secured as at 24 to the metal strip 20 and is also glued or otherwise secured to the wood block 2|. 1

As shown in Fig. 1 the right end of the strip 20 is provided with a head H in which is formed a vertical slot 21 extending transversely of the shuttle box. A pin 28 fixed with respect to the lay in a manner to be described extends vertically through the slot 21 and guides the binder as the latter moves forwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2. The pin 28 also prevents substantial longitudinal movement of the binder with respect to the shuttle box when the shuttle is moving into and out of the box.

Except for details of the head H to be described hereinafter, the matter thus far described may be made according to my prior Patent No. 2,045,967.

In carrying my present invention into effect I provide a bracket 30 bolted as at 3| to the lay end Ill and having a vertical wall 32 spaced forwardly from the rear wall [2 and extending along the lay end. Integral with the wall 32 is a horizontal forwardly projecting upper shelf 35 from which depends a curved friction arm 36 having a rear friction surface 31.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 4 a bolt or screw 40 extends downwardly through the top shelf 35 and is tapped into the enlarged upper end 4| formed as a head on stud 42 extending downwardly from the shelf 35. The bolt 40 holds the upper end of the stud 42 in tight frictional engagement with the under surface of the shelf 35, thereby preventing relative angular movement of the stud with respect to the bracket 35. The stud 42 has a depending reduced shank 63 to the lower end of which a collar M is secured as by a pin 45. A squared head 46 is formed integral with the lower end of stud 42 and affords means for holding the stud when the screw 40 is being tightened to hold the stud in adjusted angular position with respect to the shelf 35.

A strap holder 50 has a vertical strap holding arm integral with a horizontal foot 52 located above the collar 44 and rotatable on the reduced shank 43. A coil spring 55 surrounds the stud 42 and has the upper end thereof extended into the enlarged upper end or head M on the stud Q2. The lower end of the spring is bent outwardly as at 57 and engages part of the vertical arm 5|. The effect of the spring is to turn the strap holder 50 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 and the force exerted by the spring can be varied by changing the angular adjustment of the stud E2.

The bracket 39 is provided with abottom shelf 60 extending forwardly from the wall'32 and a plate 6| is secured as at (Site the top and bottom shelves 35 and 50, respectively. This plate has secured thereto the left end of a flexible strap 53 which may be made of leather or the like. The right end of strap 63 is secured to the strap holder 5|. The strap 63 therefore has its left end fixed with respect to the lay and its right end operatively connected to a spring one end of which is fixed with respect to the lay.

The shuttle binder head H is provided with a forward extension "IE1 intermediate the friction arm '36 and plate '6! and having a vertical convex friction surface H which engages the strap 63 as shown in Figs. 1 andi2. The previously described pin 28 is supported by the top and bottom shelves 35 and 60, respectively, and is capable of transverse adjustment relatively to the shuttle box by reason of the slots 72 in the top 7 and bottom shelves and the nut 13.

Under normal conditions when the shuttle is out of the box the parts'will be in the position indicated in Fig. 1 with thepin'28 occupying the forward part of slot 27. The binder will be held in this position due'to the fact that the spring acts through the strap 63 to exert a rearwardly directed'force on the binder. When the shuttle enters the box it will engage the left end of the binder as viewed in Fig. 1 and move the protector finger forwardly, and then as the shuttle continues to move into the box the outer '01 right endrof the binder will be moved laterally of the box and forwardly along the guide pin 28 until it assumes the position shown in Fig. 2. During this forward movement of the right end of the binder friction surface 1| slides along the rear surface of the strap 63 and drags the latter across the friction arm 36 against the action of spring 55. Inasmuch as the left end of the strap is fixed with respect to the lay and its right end is attached to a spring connected to the lay, a length of strap will be dragged across the arm 36 greater than the lateral displacement of the right end of the binder with respect to the shuttle box. The action of the surface H is somewhat similar to that of a movable pulley which moves the free end of a cable trained around it twice as far as the pulley moves.

From the foregoing'it will be seen'that I'have provided a simple form of shuttle check for a' floating binder wherein a friction strap 63 is dragged over a stationary friction surface 31 through a distance considerably greater than the lateral displacement of the binder by the shuttle. This result is accomplished by having one end of the friction strap fixed with respect to the lay and having the other end of it connected to a spring one end of which is fixed with respect to the lay. 'I'ne strap is required not only to move across the friction arm 35 but must also slide along the surface H when the shuttle is boxed. Furthermore, the bracket 30 as a completed unit supports the checking unit consisting of the strap and spring.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay end and a shuttle box thereon, a floating shuttle binder forming part of the shuttle box and movable on the lay end by the shuttle bodily transversely of the shuttle box, means on the binder presenting a friction surface, a flexible friction element engaging said surface and having one end thereof fixed with respect to thelay end, and a spring on the'lay'end having one end thereof fixed with respect to the lay end and having the other end thereof operatively connected to the other end of said flexible element and effective by a force transmitted through said element to resist movement of the binder by the shuttle andeffective also to hold said element against said friction surface during movement of the binder by the shuttle.

2. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay and a shuttle box thereon, a lay supported shuttle binder movable by the shuttle bodily and transversely of the shuttle box and having a friction surface thereon, and a checking unit having the ends thereof connected to the lay end and including a flexible element for engagement With'said friction surface and a spring operative to hold said element against said surface when the binder is moved transversely of the shuttle box by the shuttle.

3. In a shuttle checking mechanism'for a loom naving a lay end and a shuttle box thereon, a lay end supported shuttle binder movable forwardly by the shuttle bodily and transversely of the shuttle box and having 'a forwardly extending convex friction surface thereon, and a checking unit extending along the shuttle box and having its ends fixed with respect to the lay end and including a flexible friction element in front of and engaging said friction surface and including also a spring operative to hold the element against said friction surface when the'binder is moved forwardly by the shuttle.

4. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay endand' a shuttle box thereon,'a"lay end supported shuttle bind'er movable by the shuttle bodily and transversely of the shuttle box and having a frictionsurface thereon, a friction arm fixed with respect "to the -lay end, aflexible friction element having one end thereof "fixed with respect to the lay end and trained 'along saidfriction surface and said arm, and a spring having one end thereof fixed with respect to the lay end and havingthe other end thereof operatively connected to the other end of said element and effective to hold the latter against's'ai'd friction surface and said friction arm when the binder is moved transversely of the shuttle box by the shuttle,

5. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay end and a shuttle-box thereon to receive a shuttle, holding meansflxed with respect to the lay end, a friction arm spaced from said holding means and fixed with respect to the lay end, resilient meanshaving one end fixed with respect to the lay end, a flexible strap having one end held by said holding means and extending along said friction means and having the other end thereof attached to the other end of said resilient means, and a shuttle binder forming part of the shuttle box movable bodily transversely of the shuttle box and having a friction surface thereon in engagement with that part of the strap between said holding means and said friction means, said resilient means operative through said strap to hold saidbinder in shuttle engaging position and effective to hold said strap against said friction means and said friction surface on the binder when the latter is moved transversely of the shuttle box by the shuttle.

6. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom having a lay end and a shuttle box thereon to receive a shuttle, holding means fixed with respect to the lay end, resilient means having one end thereof fixed with respect to the lay end, a friction arm fixed with respect to the lay end intermediate said holding means and said resilient means, a friction strap having one end secured to said holding means and extending along said friction arm and having the other end thereof operatively connected to the other end of said resilient means, and a binder movable bodily transversely of the shuttle box and having a friction surface engaging that part of the strap between said holding means and said friction arm, said resilient means holding said strap against said friction arm and friction surface when the binder is moved transversely of the shuttle box by the shuttle.

'7. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom lay having a shuttle box thereon, a floating binder movable bodily transversely of the shuttle box when a shuttle enters said shuttle box, means on the shuttle binder presenting a friction surface, and a checking unit having the ends thereof attached to the lay and including a flexible friction element and so arranged that upon entry of a shuttle into said shuttle box said flexible element will be dragged along said friction surface for a distance greater than the transverse displacement of the shuttle binder.

8. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom lay having a shuttle box thereon, a floating binder movable bodily transversely of the shuttle box when a shuttle enters said shuttle box, means on the shuttle binder presenting a friction surface, a friction arm fixed with respect to the lay, and a checking unit having the ends thereof attached to the lay and including a flexible friction element engaging said friction surface on the shuttle binder and said friction arm, said unit being so arranged relatively to the lay and friction arm that upon entry of a shuttle into the shuttle box said flexible element will be dragged along said friction surface on the shuttle binder and said friction arm for a distance greater than the transverse displacement of said shuttle binder by the shuttle. I

9. In shuttle checking mechanism for a loom lay having a shuttle box thereon, a floating binder movable bodily transversely of the shuttle box said friction arm.

when a shuttle renters said shuttle box, a friction arm fixed to the lay, a checking unit having the ends thereof attached to the lay and including a flexible friction element engaging said friction arm, and engaging means on the shuttle binder engaging said flexible element, said unit; friction arm and means on the shuttle binder being so arranged that upon entry of a shuttle into said shuttle box said engaging means will cause the flexible element to be dragged along said friction arm for a distance greater than the transverse displacement of said shuttle binder by the shuttle.

10. A shuttle checking unit for a loom lay having a shuttle box thereon provided with a floating binder movable transversely of the shuttle box and having a friction surface thereon, said unit comprising a bracket adapted for attachment to the lay, holding means on the bracket, a friction arm on the bracket, a spring one end of which is fixed with respect to the bracket, and a friction strap having one end secured to said holding means and extending along said friction arm and having the other end thereof operatively connected to the other end of said resilient means, the bracket when attached to the lay having that part of the strap between the holding means and the friction arm positioned for engagement with said friction surface on the binder.

11. In a shuttle checking unit for a loom lay having a shuttle box thereon provided with a floating shuttle binder movable transversely of the shuttle box and having a friction surface thereon, said unit comprising a bracket adapted for attachment to the lay, and a friction unit connected to and supported by the bracket and comprising a friction strap and a spring operatively connected to said strap, said bracket when attached to the lay holding said strap in position for engagement with said friction surface on the shuttle binder.

12. A shuttle checking unit for a loom lay having a shuttle box thereon provided with a floating shuttle binder movable transversely of the shuttle box and having a friction surface thereon, said unit comprising a bracket adapted for attachment to the lay in fixed position with respect thereto, holding means on the bracket, spring supporting means on the bracket, and a friction unit extending between said holding means and said spring supporting means and including a friction strap attached to said holding means and a spring having one end thereof fixed with respect to said spring supporting means, the other ends of said strap and spring being operatively connected to each other, said bracket when attached to the lay holding said strap in position for engagement with said friction surface on the shuttle binder.

13. In a shuttle checking unit for a loom lay having a shuttle box thereon provided with a floating shuttle binder movable transversely of the shuttle box and having a friction surface thereon, said unit comprising a bracket adapted for attachment to the lay, a friction arm on said bracket, and a friction unit connected to and supported by said bracket and comprising a flexible friction strap and a spring operatively connected to the strap and holding the latter against said bracket when attached to the lay holding said strap in position for engagement with said friction surface on the shuttle binder.

14. A shuttle checking unit for a loom lay having a shuttle box thereon provided with a floating shuttle binder movable transversely of the shuttle said spring supporting means and including a. flexible friction element 'attachedtosaid holding 10 means and a spring having one end thereof attached to said spring supporting means, said spring holding said flexible element against said friction arm, fs'aid'bracket when attached to the lay holding that part of -the flexible element between-said holding means and said friction arm in position foren'gagement with said friction surface on said's'huttle binder.

ELLIOT A. SANTON. 

